Celebrating Our Stratix Team
Eduardo Barberena
Service Production Director
We are taking this special opportunity to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month and spotlight Stratix Service Production Director, Eduardo Barberena. National Hispanic Heritage Month was created to recognize the contributions and influence of Hispanic Americans to the culture and achievements of the United States. In this interview, Eduardo has agreed to share some of his Nicaraguan heritage with us and explain how his culture influenced his upbringing and views of the world.
How long have you been at Stratix, and what does your role entail?
I manage 70 people in the Service and Repair Reverse Logistics department at Stratix, and I have been a part of the team for five years and three months. We ensure devices get repaired and sent back to customers.
What do you like about working at Stratix?
I really love working with the people here. We have a great team!
What got you interested in your job, and what do you love about your job?
In my opinion, services are the life of a business. If you do it well, customers keep coming back for more. If we don’t do it well then, we will eventually be out of business. When I joined Stratix, I had managed extensive international service operations at several corporations. I even received awards from distributors and customers but had never managed US services. Stratix gave me the opportunity I needed to further my career.
Tell us a little about your heritage and cultural background.
I am an imported American. I was born in Nicaragua and came to the US to get my engineering degree at Georgia Tech. Then, Nicaragua became a communist country, and I couldn’t go back. I worked in Guatemala, Belize, and Jamaica while waiting for my US residency to be approved.
I think I am lucky to have grown in both US and Latin American cultures. It makes me very tolerant. It also allows me to understand how people think in my local environment.
What does National Hispanic Heritage Month mean to you?
Celebrating our ancestry is good, but putting too much importance on our differences creates divisions among people. I am proud of my heritage.
What is a Hispanic tradition you wish to pass down that your parents have passed down to you?
There are so many unique traditions that we continue to celebrate. For example, during Christmas, we celebrate “El Niño Dios,” and for Nicaraguans, Santa does not bring Christmas presents; rather three wise men bring them. We also do not celebrate on December 25th; we celebrate midnight on December 24th.
Family dynamics are also different. Nicaraguan families would not allow a parent or a child to be alone when another member of the family has a perfectly good home. Usually, senior facilities go out of business quickly in Nicaragua. Food is also another tradition that hopefully my daughters will keep.
Which of the Stratix Core Values do you identify with the most and why?
I have one value that encompasses all of Stratix values in One. It is “I Care”. That is, I care for my customers, my company, and my coworkers.
What do you like to do when you aren't working?
I used to have a sailboat, but I have not sailed in many years. Currently, I read a lot and try to enjoy the company of my daughters when I can.